Google celebrated German mathematician Emmy Noether with a special Google Doodle on the anniversary of her birthday Monday, March 23.

Who Is Emmy Noether?

Noether, who would have been 133 today, defied societal norms when she saught an education in mathematics as a woman in Germany. Growing up, Noether studied French and English, but was drawn to mathematics through her father, Max Noether, and brother, Fritz Noether. Because she was a woman, Noether was not allowed to enroll at the universities where she studied, and instead was only permitted to audit classes at the University of Erlangen and Gottingen University.

Noether continued to pursue a career in Mathematics, despite being constantly discriminated against, and is most well known for her work in theoretical algebra. In 1933, the Nazi regime took hold in Germany and Noether, who was Jewish, was forced to relocate to America. Two years alter, Noether died after a surgery to remove a cyst at the age of 53.

After her death, Albert Einstein praised Noether in a letter to the New York Times, writing, “Fräulein Noether was the most significant creative mathematical genius thus far produced since the higher education of women began.”

The Google Doodle, by Sophie Diao, incorporates all the branches of science and mathematics Noether worked on, including time, group theory and Noetherian rings.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.